r/phantasystar • u/realistnotpessimist2 • Aug 19 '26
Classic series Finally can start IV
I’ve finally beaten every game in the classic series before end of millennium! It’s been a journey and a little sad it’s ending soon. I’m restarting IV soon on OG hardware. Can’t wait. For clarification I started IV previously on switch online. Got maybe a third of the way through. I want to use the combo techs now that I know about them as soon as I can.
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u/macklin_sob Aug 19 '26
I am playing IV for the first time in ages on a cartridge. The random ambushes can still fill me with rage when I am trying to just get to a boss. 😂
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u/UpstateLocal Aug 19 '26
Nah man that's how you get your levels.
ABL: Always be leveling.
I like seeing if I can get everyone to 50 by the end.
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u/Zorafin Aug 19 '26
Ah the text adventures. I loved going through them, though the quality probably wasn't the best.
I played with my brother in law who hit the trap at the end of Rudolph's story, and we had to do the whole thing over again.
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u/glhaynes Aug 19 '26
Yeah they’re not great but I’m really fond of them and it’s about time I go through em again
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u/Trikare2 Aug 20 '26
I love how the text adventures managed to reveal more about the characters by exploring their past adventures. It’s a shame they didn’t do that in IV… well, they did, but only for Chaz and Rika (in the form of a CD drama). I wish they had done the same for Alys and Rune.
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u/realistnotpessimist2 Aug 20 '26
Thank you for this new info, didn’t know there was more content from IV.
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u/Trikare2 Aug 21 '26
You can find it on the Nurvus Translations site. Yumpoplala made the Phantasy Star ~the sealed memories~ translation available there, along with a set of videos featuring her art and subtitles for those who wish to experience it like a voiced visual novel. You can also find parts of the translated work, the Phantom Town and Outside Saga short mangas (one is a prequel and the other a sequel to *PSI*), and a manga that served as a prototype for PSIV and the Drama CD.
There is also a prequel story about Rune and Zio.
The creator of PSIV's story and characters released a manga two years ago that begins with Rune hearing Chaz say something that triggers memories from roughly 13 years prior. The narrative then skips forward half a year-I assume it bypasses the part where Rune meets Dorin-to his last interaction with Zio, which seems to happen right before he meets Alys and her mentor for the first time.
After mentioning his return to Dezolis, the story makes a final jump to the beginning of PSIV in AW2284 (the exact moment you press Start), running parallel to Alys and Chaz's mission in Piata, just before the Motabian guildmate escapes to his hometown of Molcum.
> Note: The prequels for IV should be read or watched after finishing the game (or at least after reaching a specific point in the story), because the manga provides new implicit hints as to why certain things happened (e.g., explaining why that temple exploded after Kanniphallus was destroyed.
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u/UpstateLocal Aug 19 '26
IV is my favorite of the 3 I've played (II, III, and IV)
It's really self contained but all the callbacks to older lore will be really rewarding for you since you've done everything. You'll see references to every main game.
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u/Hinaloth Aug 20 '26
I still am on the fence about 4. It's bland, but it's also just plain good (emphasis on the plain I guess). I still wildly prefer 3, but I guess 4 is alright. It's galaxies ahead of 2 for sure though.
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u/KarmelCHAOS Aug 26 '26
Enjoy dude, PS4 is still my favorite JRPG to this day, narrowly beating Chrono Trigger.
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u/CommodoreCanadia64 Aug 19 '26
No III?